Carrying radio frequency (RF) energy across certain distances can present potential challenges. For instance, in an aircraft system, carrying RF energy from an antenna installed out on a wing or tail of the aircraft to an electronic module located within the fuselage can result in increased manufacturing cost and complexity. The RF antenna is typically connected to the remotely-located electronic module by large bundles of delicate, high-performance coaxial cables that are routed through tight and harsh areas of the aircraft. Properly installing and testing these cable bundles can be a tedious and complicated task that may add cost and complexity to the manufacturing process.
Replacing the bundles of coaxial cables with fiber or other optical connections could address some of the challenges mentioned above, but up to now it has been difficult for optical connections to meet the signal integrity requirements of such systems.